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weed & feed on lawn


Question
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Followup To
Question -
I live in Raleigh, NC. About 4-5 weeks ago I applied Scotts weed & feed to my lawn. Unfortunately, it rained within 12 hours.  It looks like the fertilizer worked, but I have lots of weeds still.  How long do I have to wait before I can apply the weed and feed again?
Answer -
Tim I just saw in your rating that you are not able to ask me a follow ip question here, so, if you have a question, write me at my email address,

[email protected]
I will be glad to help any way I can.
charlotte

Hi Tim;
I have no idea. I used scitt's for a couple of years, and came to the conclusion they have a good advertising program, and that's all. I thought their products were jnot good at all. I had better luck with Fertilome products, by far.
With all the weed and feeds and pre-emergents, I had some weeds and sickly grass.
When I went to an all organic program, I gained a better looking lawn, with much less work and expense, and have been totally weed free for the last 5 years of the 7 years I have been on it.
Fertilizers kill the beneficial microbes that enrich your soil, and insecticides and weed killers kill the earthworms and good bugs that aerate the soil and keep down thatch.
With organics, ny lawn greens up faster, stays green longer in the fall, is weed free, and with a proper watering program, there is no thatch.
It's practically maintenance free. We water, edge, put down sugar in the spring and fall, and every 2 or 3 years top dress with compost.
Other than pruning and planting things, that is all the lawn work we do.
Dry molasses, or sugar, if you can't get dry molasses, keeps alive thise microbes.
Weeds love poor soil, and will not thrive in rich soil.
Fertilizer puts nutrients that make vegetation grow, but it wears out. It does not put lasting enrichment in the soil. Sugar keeps these microbes healthy, and they work 24/7 all year long, enriching your soil.
The first year I put it down, the yard was full of various kinds of weeds. Dandelions, crabgrass, johnson grass, clover, dollar weed. chickweed, and more.
A couple of weeks after putting down sugar and watering it in well, about half the weeds were just gone. a few more mowings and they were all gone. The next spring fewer came up and were soon gone. About the 3rd or 4th tear, none came up, and npne have come up since.
My neighbors that have jumped on the prganic bandwagon have weed free lawns too, the others still struggle with the weeds. they are working on their lawns all the time, and the rest of us are just enjoying ours.
I put 1 pound sugar per 250 to 300 sq.ft. of lawn, and water it in well.
If you fertilize, and then put down sugar and water them in together, the sugar will somewhat counteract the fertilizer killing the microbes.
I always water to a depth of at least 6 inches to encourage a deep root system. This helps protect grass from cold, heat, and drought damage, and prevents a thatch buildup.
I dethatched 39 years ago, when we bought this place, and haven't had to since.
It should tell you on the bag when it can bve reapplied, or call your scott's dealer.
I wouldn't go off my organuics program for all the tea in china.
I use NO chemicals, and my grass, vegetables, fruit trees, and shrubs, especially my roses are much better, and I seldom have an asthma attack, something that used to be a BIF health problem for me.
My lizards, toads and grass snakes keep me plants and lawn much more bug free that all the insecticides did.
I use an organic program inside my house, and I NEVER see a roach, spider, silverfish etc.
If you would like a list of all my bug free herbs I use (that also keep the house smelling fresh and relaxing,) write. I am more than happy to share what I have learned.
Charlotte
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Dear Charlotte,  thank you for those insights.  I am very interested in trying an organic approach.  Have you tried this in the "transition zone" of NC?  We have special lawn problems here that I never experienced when I have lived in other areas.  Also, can you recommend a book or place where I can get more info about Organic lawn care?

Answer
Tim;
I tried to get some information on the " transition Zone" of NC, and couldn't find any info.
what different problems do you have there?
Hon, I live in North Texas, and have lived in West Texas. Bet I have encountered them all.
There is a saying about North Texas weather. "If you don't like it, wait a few minutes, it will change"
Change it does. This spring, so far, (and this is not unusual), we have 2 or 3 times, had the air conditioner on one day, and the heater on the next, or heater on all night, air conditioner in the afternoon, and heater again that night.
We get molds and fungus in the spring in the fall, more weeds that Carter has pills, and we have the distinction of being the BEST climate in the WORLD, for allergies. some clain to fame, huh?

We have soils that range (sometimes in the same lawn) from sand to clay to that sticky black gumbo.
Floods in the spring and fall, (besides tornadoes,) and drought in the summer.
We sure never get bored by too much of the same weather!!!
Tell me about some of these problems.
I have either encountered them, or I can find you a website or websites that will answer them for you.
Charlotte

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